u/IcySatisfaction632

Wondering if anyone else has experienced this, I’d love to know that I’m not alone.

Some Context (TLDR version at the bottom):

I defended my dissertation last spring, finished internship last summer, and graduated this past fall. I’m currently on postdoc and taking the EPPP next week. I had a particularly rough internship year (it was really competitive, the people there were horrible, and I was discriminated against on the basis of my disabilities). Postdoc has been a lot better in terms of people/work culture, but the workload is insane, and I’m struggling with the big jump in responsibilities/independence that comes with being at the postdoc level.

I’m so tired, so spent, and so burnt out. I’m exhausted from the doc program, but I still somehow have to find the energy/motivation to finish postdoc, take the EPPP, take the state jurisprudence exam, get licensed, and find a job after postdoc. It feels never-ending. I’m having a hard time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

And I’m so burnt out that I have zero interest in my work anymore. My passion for it is gone. It makes me sad and discouraged that I spent so much time and energy, sacrificed so much (6 years of my life, my financial stability, my physical and mental health) for a career I don’t even feel excited about anymore. To make it this far only to feel this way is awful.

Granted, I’m realizing that the sub-specialty I went into just isn’t for me, so I’m hoping I can get my spark back after postdoc when I’m able to get a job in an area I’m more passionate about and that’s a better fit for me.

But I’m struggling so much. I’m not excited for work anymore and I’m struggling to even get out of bed in the morning. It’s like the sense of purpose, the why I even pursued this career in the first place, is gone, and it all feels meaningless. I’m working on it with my therapist.

Any other post-grads/early-career folks felt this way? What did you do to support yourself? Does it get better?

TLDR: Struggling with burnout, depression, and a sense of purposelessness after graduation and looking for support/advice

I started intermittent fasting last October and lost around 14lbs in 3 months (I did 16:8 the first month then 18:6 the following months). It felt great. I fell off in January though (I live in Minneapolis in the heart of where Operation Metro Surge was, it was a scary and stressful time). About a month ago I tried semaglutide/GLP-1 (Waygovy), but got off of it after a few weeks because the side effects were AWFUL. Trying to get back into IF, but since quitting semaglutide my appetite has come back with a vengeance, so it’s been hard to stick with a fasting window.

Any other ex-GLP-1 folks here? How did you adjust back to IF? Or in general, how do folks deal with times when your appetite is through the roof but you still have a few hours left of your fasting window?

Also seeking encouragement - I’m grieving the fact that Waygovy didn’t work out, I was excited about the weight loss and all the health/anti-inflammatory benefits. Have folks doing IF seen/felt those same benefits?

TLDR - seeking advice on adjusting back to IF after getting off GLP-1

I take the EPPP in 8 days and I feel like I’m going to fail. I’ve been using the AATBS software and I haven’t been able to score higher than 59% on any of the practice tests. I heard the AATBS practice tests are notoriously difficult, but it’s discouraging to have been studying for weeks on end (I study a bunch in a week and then take a practice test at the end of the week) only to be getting like 2-3 more questions right on each subsequent test. I feel horrible, like all this work I’m doing is for nothing and that I’m going to have to delay my career and pay more money to take it again.

Any advice/encouragement would be amazing!